The First Buddhist Council

First Buddhist council: Immediately after the Buddha’s death a monk named Subaddha cried out that they don’t need to worry about discipline any more. This Subaddha should not be misunderstood with the other monk who was ordained at the old age.

The first Buddhist council was held by 500 Arahants at Rajagaha city three months after the Buddha' death.

The purpose of the council was to fix the doctrine and the discipline as originally taught by the Buddha.

The council was headed by Venerable Maha Kassapa, and with the sponsorship of king Ajatasatthu of Magadha State.

Venerable Ananda recited the Dhamma, while the Venerable Upali recited the Vinaya. The events lasted seven months. The Tipitaka was compiled and arranged in its present from by those Arahants of old.

At the council, the Dhamma was divided into various parts. Each part was assigned an Elder and his pupils to commit memory. The Dhamma was then passed on from teacher to pupil orally. Oral tradition is more reliable than a report written by one person from his memory several years after the event.

There are compiled only Dhamma and Vinaya, and no mention of the Abhidhamma having seen a subject of discussion in this council. Briefly, the proceedings the first council achieved four result;

1. The settlement of the Vinaya texts under the leadership of Upali.

2. The settlement of the Dhamma texts under the leadership of Ananda.

3. The trial of Ananda.

4. The punishment of Channa.

Credit: Buddhist Studies in English

______________________

Other articles: Karaniya Metta Sutta Chanting , Mangala Sutta Chanting - The greatest blessing , Are Buddhists Idol Worshippers? , Attainment of Buddhahood , Faith, Confidence and Devotion , Loving-Kindness , Can We Justify War? , Dreams and Their Significance , Buddhism and Women , Modern Religion , Is Buddhism a Theory or a Philosophy? , Hi Beloved Community! , Are Buddhists really idol worshippers? , Which is the Proper Religion? , Religion in a Scientific Age , How to Save Yourself , Why is there no Peace? , You Protect Yourself , Moral and Spiritual Development , Do It Yourself , Everything is Changeable , The Meaning of Prayer , What is the purpose of life? , The Buddha's Silence , Kathina Robe Dana festival , What is Kamma? , The teachings of Buddha , What is Kamma? , Pavāranā day , The Law Of Karma , The First Buddhist Council , Practical Vipassana Meditational Exercises By Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw , There are six supreme qualities of Dhamma , Buddhist Paintings: The Life of the Buddha , The life of the Buddha , What is Buddhism? , A Basic Buddhism Guide , The Eight-Fold Path is the fourth of the Four Noble Truths - the first of the Buddha's teachings , A Gift of Dhamma , WHAT DID THE BUDDHA TEACH? , THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS , A Dhammatalk by Ajahn Chah: The Four Noble Truths , The Middle Way of Buddhism , The Path to Peace , The Middle Way Within , The Training of the Heart , Right Practice - Steady Practice , Question and Answer about Dhamma (QA1 - QA10) , Question and Answer about Dhamma (QA11-QA18) , Questions and Answers with Ajahn Chah , A Dhammatalk by Ajahn Chah: Questions and Answers , Even One Word Is Enough , Right Restraint , Listening Beyond Words , Where did the Buddha enter Nibbāna? , Knowing the World , Wholehearted Training , Understanding Dukkha , Monastery of Confusion , It Can Be Done , About Being Careful , Unshakeable Peace , Suffering on the Road , Clarity of Insight , Evening Sitting , Transcendence , "Not Sure!" - The Standard of the Noble Ones , Sense Contact - the Fount of Wisdom , In the Dead of Night... , The Flood of Sensuality , Sammā Samādhi - Detachment Within Activity , Maintaining the Standard , Understanding Vinaya , Dhamma Fighting , Toward the Unconditioned , Still, Flowing Water , ''Tuccho Pothila'' - Venerable Empty-Scripture , Living in the World with Dhamma , Meditation , Our Real Home , Why Are We Here? , Making the Heart Good , Epilogue , Right View - the Place of Coolness , No Abiding , Convention and Liberation , The Peace Beyond , The Path in Harmony , On Meditation , Training this Mind , Just Do It! , Reading the Natural Mind , Living With the Cobra , The Two Faces of Reality , Dhamma Nature , The Last Message of the Buddha , The towering Phra Buddha Maha Nawamin of Wat Muang is one of the tallest statues in the world , "Happy Honey Full Moon Day" , Phra Phuttha Rattana Mongkhon Mahamuni at Wat Bhurapha Piram , The Big Buddha Phuket , Wat Muang, largest sitting Buddha statue in Thailand , The Big Buddha (Hong Kong) , Wat Tham Pha Daen a beautiful hill top temple , WatYaiChaiMongkol (Mongkhon), Ayutthaya, Thailand. , The sacred Buddha head in the roots of the Bodhi Tree. , Wat Phai Lom